Police chief reacts to scooter crash with call for safety
No injuries after car pulls in front of teen on scooter
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NEBRASKA CITY – Nebraska City Police Chief Ben Murry announced plans for a bike and scooter safety course following a traffic accident Thursday morning and said the city is working on an ordinance regulating electric-powered mobility.
Murry blamed sun glare for the accident during the school rush Thursday, where a 19-year-old driver in a Ford Escape entered a Fourth Corso intersection int the path of a 16-year-old on an electric scooter.
Murry: “The lesson to learn from today’s incident is always wear your helmet, no matter if you’re riding a bike, if you’re on a scooter always wear your helmet. That’s, I think, what saved this young man from serious injury.”
Murry said many communities are struggling with increased use of electric-powered scooters and bicycles in September.
Murry: “What a lot of people don’t realize is we’ve had approximately 30 contacts – officers had contacted kids approximately 30 times – talking about scooter safety and bike safety because they are younger and younger than a normal person riding a bike.”
Murry said the city is working on an ordinance but said its success will depend on leadership from parents.
Murry: “I know there’s been several close calls, not only in Nebraska City but every community has had these incidents occur. A city ordinance is not going to change the safety of the kids on these things without the parents’ involvement. The parents have to be involved.
They have to get them to wear a helmet. Like the mother today, on this young man, stated that if he doesn’t’ wear his helmet, he’s grounded from his scooter.”
Murry said police are organizing a safety course for electric mobile devices this fall.
Murry: “They are responsible for their own safety. There is a lot of distracted driving that goes on now days. People coming down the road, they don’t see it. Like this e-mail stated this child was halfway across the road before they even realized they have left the intersection because they go so fast.”
He said there are several proposals going before the city council, including a ban on anyone under 18 going faster than 20 mph.